


Not As Planned

by the_genderman



Series: Trans Steve 'Verse [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Microaggressions, Tony Stark has no tact, Transphobia, but in the, deaf!clint barton, kind of way, not violent, trans!Steve Rogers - Freeform, which still sucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 14:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11106345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_genderman/pseuds/the_genderman
Summary: Post-Avengers, pre-Iron Man 3. Tony has no tact and accidentally finds out that Steve is trans, but it works out better than Steve had expected.





	Not As Planned

**Author's Note:**

> Note added 18JAN18: When I wrote this fic, I was under the impression that underlining or italicizing signed speech was the "industry standard" in fic. However, since then I have been reliably informed by persons who sign, that that is not the case. It is much preferred to treat the signed speech like any other language-- like if someone was speaking Spanish, then quote marks would be the obvious choice, rather than underlines, so quotemarks around signed speech is also correct. Since this fic has been around the block for a while, I'm adding this note. Any future fics will utilize quotemarks.
> 
> (Also, if it seems like it could be unclear that the words are signed instead of spoken out loud, then use "signed" can be written instead of "said.")

“Everyone ok?” Steve asked, limping slightly as he reentered the Quinjet. 

“Well, Thor accidentally fried Clint’s hearing aids when he took out that last wave of spiderbots, but other than that, I think we’re all good,” Natasha reported as she secured her weapons.

Tony already had his faceplate off and was sliding into the seat at the helm of the jet as gracefully as he could in his armor. Clint was sitting leaning up against the wall, rubbing his head, an occasional muttered ’ow’ escaping him. Thor looked slightly sheepish. Bruce had retreated into the back of the jet to get dressed again.

Steve was still quite new to ASL, but he had picked up a few useful signs and phrases. Are you ok? he signed at Clint.

“A bit of a headache, but nothing that a good nap won’t clear up,” Clint replied. “What about you, Cap? You’re looking a bit gimpier than you were when we got called out for this rogue roboticist. (Dude, why would anyone build a bunch of giant robo-spiders armed with lasers? If you’re trying to take over the world, don’t pick something so obviously and blatantly evil. Laserbots. It’s such a cliche.)”

I’m ok Steve signed while speaking. He turned to walk up to the front of the Quinjet to talk with Tony.

As soon as Steve had his back turned, Clint gave a snort-laugh.

“If I didn’t know any better, Cap, given the state of your uniform, I’d say it looks like you took a shotgun to the ass,” Clint joked.

Yes, Steve began, then paused signing. “Wait. Natasha, can you translate or interpret or whatever the proper term is? I’m not conversational yet.”

Natasha nodded and turned towards Clint.

Steve continued. “That actually _is_ what happened.”

“Really? We’re fighting laser robot spiders and you get a butt full of buckshot? How’d you manage that?” Clint laughed.

“Overzealous owner of the drycleaner whose window I got thrown through,” Steve explained. “I stood back up and next thing I know, this guy’s unloading a shotgun in my general direction. I don’t know if he was aiming at me, the spiderbot, or at all, but I got one shell and someone’s suit got the other.”

“JARVIS, can you call the Tower, get someone to get Clint a new pair of hearing aids, then call the medical staff and have someone ready to collect Cap when we get back?” Tony requested.

“Calling Tower medical staff,” JARVIS announced.

“I’m fine, Tony. The serum will do its thing and I’ll heal right up,” Steve deflected.

“Oh, no, no,” Tony countered. “Someone’s gotta get that buckshot out. I’m the only one allowed to carry shrapnel around inside them.”

“I’ve got a knife tip embedded in my left third rib, does that count as shrapnel?” Natasha asked casually.

“No, it does not,” Tony answered. “And stop trying to make me feel less special.”

“I’ve got a mirror and I can get tweezers somewhere; I can manage it myself,” Steve insisted.

“Nope, you’re going straight to Medical when we get back,” Tony insisted.

“Make me,” Steve said.

\------------------------

Steve was standing in front of the floor-length mirror in his room at the Tower with a bowl to collect the buckshot pellets, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and a pair of forceps borrowed from Bruce (without his knowledge, but still borrowed. Steve would sanitize them and return them as soon as he was done with them). He was wearing his binder, socks, and nothing else. He knew the subject would have to be broached eventually if he was going to keep working with the Avengers, but he didn’t feel like this was the right time. Wait until they were all together, relaxed and not dealing with aliens or any of the wave of copycats who suddenly got the bright idea that they, too, could take over the world with killer robots or trained bears or a bomb that was supposed to release genetically modified hornets, but just ended up spewing flaming insect corpses over a three block radius in Queens.

There was a knock on the door, followed by Tony’s voice. “Hey, Cap, it’s me. I brought Nurse Grandell, she can get you patched up in no time.”

“I’m fine, Tony,” Steve insisted, starting to get annoyed. Ok, maybe Tony really did care about the health and welfare of his teammates, but seriously, please take a hint. “I can do this on my own.”

“It’ll go faster if you let us in.”

“No, Tony.”

“We’re not at war, you don’t have to field dress your own ass.”

“That’s not it.”

“Well, then stop being a prude, Cap.”

“I’m not a prude.”

“Well, then what is it? C’mon Steve, I’ve participated in an honest-to-goodness orgy, it’s not like I’ve never seen another guy’s junk before, and she’s an RN. You’re not going to embarrass either of us. We’re coming in. JARVIS, open Cap’s door for me, please.”

“Captain Rogers requested not to be disturbed, Sir,” JARVIS intoned.

“Yeah, yeah. Can you open the door anyway? Master override or whatever,” Tony insisted.

“Very well. Captain Rogers, I am terribly sorry, but I will be opening your door.” JARVIS sounded as apologetic as a disembodied AI voice possibly could.

Steve dropped the forceps into the bowl and moved to retrieve his underwear from the bed. He wished he’d gotten a fresh pair ready, but his packer was still tucked into the holey pair, and he hadn’t counted on Tony barging in on him.

Too far away and not fast enough. The door slid open and Tony strode into the room, followed by Nurse Grandell. Tony got three steps in and pulled up short.

“Jesus, Steve, I thought you said you got shot in the ass? What happened to your… dick. Oh. That’s… Oh.” Tony stumbled.

Steve just glared at him.

“I’ll be in the hallway if you two would like to talk in private,” Nurse Grandell said, stepping outside. “JARVIS, please close the door after me.”

“So,” Tony said, face unreadable, temporarily at a loss for words.

“This is why I said I could handle it on my own, Tony,” Steve said, frowning.

“Well. I did not see that coming. I just thought you were being absurdly modest,” Tony said after an uncomfortable silence. “Were you planning on telling us eventually, or was this just gonna be a big surprise next time you got injured in the field?”

“I was planning to tell you all, eventually,” Steve said, glancing away. “The time had to be right, though. And we’ve been kinda busy lately.”

“Yeah, we have,” Tony agreed, looking at the ceiling.

“So, can I get back to what I was doing before you so rudely interrupted me?” Steve asked.

“Oh, absolutely,” Tony said, focusing intently on the comb on top of Steve’s dresser.

“You sure you don’t have somewhere else to be?” Steve asked through his teeth. There was a plink of metal against ceramic.

“I definitely do,” Tony said, crossing his arms and trying not to think too hard about what was happening behind him. (Plink.) We have a medical staff for a reason, he thought to himself. (Plink.)

A hiss of discomfort and another plink.

“Topical anesthetic is a wonderful thing, Steve.”

“I’m sure it is," (plink), "but I’m almost done. And may I ask why you’re still here?”

“I have a question for you.”

Steve sighed. “Ok, shoot.”

“Well, two questions,” Tony volleyed off. “First question: is that a binder you’re wearing or just the world’s tightest smedium tank-top? Second question: were you wearing that the whole time we were fighting those robo-spiders today? Actually, make that three questions. Third question: isn’t that uncomfortable? Wait. Four. Are you finished digging buckshot out of your ass yet?”

“Binder, yes, yes, and yes.”

“I may have a solution to your problem there,” Tony said, turning back to face Steve. He quickly turned away again. “Ok, maybe could you please put your underwear back on?”

“I thought you said you weren’t gonna be embarrassed seeing another guy’s junk?” Steve teased.

“Yeah, well it got kinda weird, ok? I just learned that Captain America has a vagina. My dad _never_ mentioned _anything_ like that. Did he know?”

“Yeah, he knew; he made me my first STP. He also knew that it was a private matter.”

“And what’s STP stand for in this case?”

“Stand-to-pee. It was pretty much a prosthetic penis. Looked just like the real thing at a glance.”

“Oh. Of _course_ he did. But back to me and my solution to your problem. Are you interested in hearing this?”

“I’m listening.”

“I’m guessing you probably aren’t too fond of parkouring bad guys while wearing what is essentially a fabric boa constrictor. And since I’m an upstanding kind of guy and we’re actually becoming friends, how about I arrange a little hush-hush surgery for you? Seeing as it seems like you’ve got something you’d like to get off your chest.” 

Tony snickered at his joke. Steve just rolled his eyes.

“So, how about it? Are you interested?” Tony asked.

“I’m interested, but how sure are you that this information will stay private?”

“Very sure. I have my own personal medical Staff, Steve. Given everything they know about me that they haven’t leaked to the public, I’d say your secret is pretty safe with them.”

“And you’re sure about this?” Steve asked.

“I trust them.”

“No, not that. Are you sure you want to do this for me?”

“Of course I do. A friend in need, right?” Tony clapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “But seriously, please put some underwear on. This whole mismatch thing is weirding me out.”

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted March 2017 on Tumblr. Also, titles, agh. On Tumblr, I didn't have to title anything. Now I have to _name_ my fics and it can be somewhat frustrating.


End file.
